Tag: Discover Lough Derg

This years Shorelines Arts Festival returns to the lakeside town of Portumna, just 10 mins from Fuchsia Lane Farm, for 4 days at the end of September. This annual festival offers a range of Theatrical, Literary, Musical and Visual Arts experiences that will offer something to suit everyone.

Theatre programme highlights include ‘Before’ by Fishamble: The new Play company, written and performed by Pat Kinevane, winner of Herald Archangel Award 2019 Edinburgh, ‘Arán agus Im’ with Manchán Magan featuring insights into the wonders of the Irish language food and local Irish food, with freshly baked sourdough and delicious butter churned by the audience.

Musical highlights include the iconic band Scullion and the contemporary sound of ZoDoMo, comprising the acclaimed traditional muscian Máirtín O’Connor with Zoe Conway and Donal Lunny

The Visual Arts Programme include the Shorelines Art Exhibition running for two weeks at the Gallery at the Workhouse.

In the early years of the fledgling Irish State, shortly after Independence, the ambitious project of creating Ireland’s first Hydro Electric Power Station was born. This facility, when completed in the mid 1920’s provided most of the energy needs of the emerging Republic. Located on the River Shannon, harnessing the power contained in the volume of water in Lough Derg, this project was an ambitious and visionary undertaking designed to help bring Ireland into the modern world at that time.

Today the Power Station, operated by Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board, provides a much lower percentage of the Country’s needs, however it still stands as a powerful testament to our founding fathers.

The centre now provides for group and individual tours and bookings can be made during the summer season online via this link

Ardnacrusha Hydro Electric Station is approximately 50 mins drive from your Fuchsia Lane Farm self catering cottage in Terryglass and you can also include a visit to Limerick city or Killaloe/Ballina as part of your day.

The Monastic Village of Lorrha Guided Tours every Thursday 7.30pm. Includes visits to St.Ruadhan’s Well, 11th century Great Stone Church of Lorrha, remains of 8/9th century High Crosses, 15/16th Augustinian Priory, 13th century Dominican Priory & Horizontal Mill plus more hidden gems. Tales of Monks, Murder, Mysteries & Monsters, High Kings & Vikings. The History, Archaeology, Folklore and legends combined in an easy going and fun walk & talk of village

Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival 2018

Now in its 50th Year this annual festival in the Georgian town on Birr, home of the famous Birr Castle and Science Park, once again prepares for a week long celebration of art, music, vintage antiquities, children workshops, events and conversations which make this one of the ‘must see’ festivals in the region. Birr is only 30 mins drive from Fuchsia Lane Farm and we always encourage our guests to visit this festival. For more details visit http://www.birrvintageweek.com or click on the link below for the full programme

Aqua Splash Dromineer

We are delighted to see that Aqua Splash makes a return to Lough Derg for the 2018 season. This is a great place to allow children (of all ages!) to enjoy the water, burn off some energy and simply have a splash in the wonderful Lough Derg. It is another example of the great activities that can be found all around the lake area, all part of the Lough Derg Blueway Dromineer is one of the lovely villages found around the lake and while there you can enjoy coffee and treats in the Lake Cafe

Coffee in Portumna Castle

We are very excited with the opening of Portumna Castle and Gardens this weekend as the season begins. This is always a great place to visit, so full of history and lore and the guides there will really bring the place to life for you. The kitchen garden, which has painstakingly restored over the years is a lovely place to browse and see how vegetable gardens were managed in the past to supply all the vegetable needs of the ‘big house’.

This season sees a new coffee shop and exhibition space on the Castle Grounds. This is housed in the beautifully restored stables yards and we are sure it will become a great spot to visit!

News from Terryglass!

Spring is doing its best to edge into our lives at the moment, despite some unexpected snow which has given many of us an unexpected day to catch up on all those jobs that we say we will do ‘someday’! The snowdrops are giving their last bit of bloom as they begin to fade away after announcing to the world that the winter is almost over. Their fragile white petals are always a joy to see this time of year. Their friends and ‘second wave’ of Spring Heralds are out and they are giving a lovely splash of yellow along the hedgerows and gardens.

In Terryglass the local Improvements Association are working away on creating a new playground as well as improving berthing facilities for the fishing boats. This work is really welcome as this area of the harbour had become a little inaccessible due to the build up of silt and it will be great to be able to have our little fishing boat back in the water there soon.

The Derg Inn, under new management, has the contractors in as they work on a new kitchen and some internal improvements and we look forward to seeing what is in store there soon.

Paddy’s Bar and Restaurant continues to serve up good food and is still a great spot for a drink with the locals. No need for Social Media friends when you can meet real people in a genuine Irish pub!

Portumna is seeing some new developments with a new coffee shop opening in the courtyard of Portumna Castle. This should be a lovely addition to the list of ‘great places to have coffee around Lough Derg’ and will be of value to both locals and visitors to the area.

It is still a relatively quiet time in terms of visitors to our cottages, however we have had some wonderful guests from overseas who were looking for a quiet vacation rental in Ireland. The opportunity to meet interesting people, from varying places and backgrounds, is one of the things we love about our business.

So if you are planning to take a trip or make a visit to our area, just let us know and we will do our best if there is anything we can do to assist!

Portumna Castle & Gardens

Each year we look forward to the opening of this wonderful place on March 1st. Portumna Castle dates back to 1618 when it was built by Richard de Burgo, the 4th Earl of Clanricarde, being the seat of the de Burgo family for 200 years. The Castle and Grounds have been restored in recent years and the first floor of the building is now open and houses an exhibition and interpretive panels detailing its history.

The Castle walled gardens are set out as a traditional kitchen garden for the ‘big house’ and some wonderful produce can be seen (and tasted) there in season. The formal gardens are imposing lawns and gravelled pathways laid out in striking geometric patterns.

This year we all looking forward to seeing the addition of a coffee shop and exhibition space in the old stables adjacent to the Castle. This should result in a lovely space to spend a few minutes and to soak up the history and ambience of this wonderful place!

Canoes and Kayaks on Lough Derg!

We are so fortunate to be living close to Lough Derg, the largest lake on the River Shannon. This majestic lake has played a central part in the regions history and development. In ancient times it provided access to settlers and invaders alike, became a source of valuable fish for those living around the lake, then in early Christian times it enabled the early monks to settle and create places of learning on Holy Island and also Terryglass. Lovers of Ireland’s famous drink, Guinness, might be interested to hear that the lake also was a method of transportation for Malting Barley, grown by local farmers, which is an essential element in the production of the famous drink. Local farmers brought their harvest to the local piers along the lake and it was then transported in the famous Guinness barges up the lake and along the Grand Canal to Dublin. One of the local harbours in the area is Kilgarvan Quay and one can still see the old warehouse and winches used to load the sacks of grain onto the barges.

However the lake now has become a wonderful leisure playground for locals and visitors alike and a new enterprise has emerged at Kilgarvan Quay! A young energetic and sporting couple, Becky and Rueben, have established Lough Derg Watersports and provide canoeing and kayaking for individuals, groups and parties of all sizes and abilities along the Lough Derg Blueway. Guests can learn the basics, enjoy guided trails on the water and have lots of fun with their wonderful tutors! Full details can be found at loughdergwatersports.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

Walks in Tipperary

This time of year provides a great opportunity to get out in the fresh air and to stretch those limbs as we begin another year! Here in Tipperary and also in the adjoining counties of Clare, Offaly and Galway we have some great looped walks suitable for all ages. There is the wonderful Keeper Hill walk just outside Nenagh with amazing views of Lower Ormond and Lough Derg, The Devils Bit near Templemore with it ancient story of how it gained its unusual shape as a result of the Devil biting a piece off the hill in anger and then spitting it out (he didn’t like the taste, apparently!) The rejected piece then landed in South Tipperary became the Rock of Cashel!

There is also the leisurely Sli Eala which links Nenagh town and Dromineer and offers some rolling farmland vistas as you stroll along the banks of the Nenagh River and then a very family friendly circular walk in Garrykennedy that is part of the Lough Derg Way.

All these walks are suitable for those with moderate experience and can be taken at an easy pace.

See the attached downloadable guides for more walks, details, distances and maps. All produced courtesy of Tipperary Tourism and Tipperary County Council